Wants superintendent out

April 9, 2008

I opened the paper this morning (April 2) and read another article (‘‘L-M students stage sit-in‘‘) regarding the Laurens-Marathon School District’s struggle with head administrator Iner Joelson.

When is enough going to be enough?

I was actually laughing when I read the quote from Superintendent Joelson, ‘‘I have never seen such disrespect.’’

Who is he kidding?

The one complaint from L-M Community School staff that is repeated over and over again is that (Joelson) is very disrespectful to most teachers, para-educators, staff and students.

I am also speaking from personal experiences with Joelson. Joelson has been disrespectful and rude to me on several occasions.

Our school mission statement is ‘‘Working Together, Achieving Success.’’ He doesn’t seem to get that. He has been the cause of so very much adversity in our small communities.

He has a history in other districts with the very same issues he is causing at Laurens-Marathon.

Iner Joelson was notified of his termination as probationary administrator/principal of Eagle Grove High School in February 2007.

Why on earth would the L-M school board want to take on baggage like that?

A Laurens-Marathon school board member told me that Joelson needs work on his people skills and that the board has talked to him about that.

Good.

‘‘People skills’’ should be a major qualification for a superintendent. Isn’t that a major part of the job?

I am asking community and staff members of Eagle Grove Community Schools to please come forward and help Laurens-Marathon save our school. Please contact the Iowa Department of Education or send in a ‘‘letter to the editor’’ to The Messenger. Our school and communities need to come together, not be torn apart.

My opinion is that Joelson can never be an effective administrator here and needs to be a decent human being and leave our community now so it can start to heal.